Fantasy football: Waiver-wire players to watch in Week 2
By Jay Marsdale
The fantasy football landscape has already been turned upside down after just one week. With new player roles being defined and big injuries, the waiver wire is full of great adds for Week 2.
The first week in the 2017 NFL season was an eventful and exciting one to get us started. For us fantasy football players, Week 1 shed some light on situations we had been speculating about all offseason.
With depth charts set and questions answered, we can being to scour the waiver wire for potential adds. The claim period for this week has passed and most of the big name performers from Week 1, like Tarik Cohen of the Chicago Bears and Austin Hooper of the Atlanta Falcons, are most likely gone in your league.
However, if you read last week’s list of waiver adds, Hooper was on there before his breakout performance. Those are the players we are looking for again this week — players under 40-percent owned and won’t be there if you wait until after that big performance.
Last week’s list: Austin Hooper (ATL), Kendall Wright (CHI), Marquise Goodwin (SF), Evan Engram (NYG), Mohamed Sanu/Taylor Gabriel (ATL).
Now let’s find some more waiver adds to help build your winning fantasy football teams for Week 2.
Andre Ellington (ARI)
The Arizona Cardinals offense lost their best player when David Johnson suffered an injury in Week 1. Awful news for Cardinals fans, but also for fantasy football owners who chose Johnson first overall in their drafts. That type of injury makes you want to throw in the towel and wait for next season.
Don’t do that! Your team can make it through until he gets back. Andre Ellington is how you stay afloat while Johnson is out. Ellington is only owned in 5.8 percent of ESPN leagues and is now has an expanded role in Arizona’s offense.
Ellington came out of college as an explosive offensive weapon and showed that talent at times in the NFL. It was never there consistently enough for the Cardinals to give Ellington the full-time job at running back. Now he has another chance.
Even with the Johnson injury, Ellington is going to have to battle for back field touches in Arizona. Kerwynn Williams is another possible add this week off of the waiver wire and is currently listed ahead of Ellington on the depth chart.
Williams doesn’t provide the kind of upside that Ellington will for fantasy purposes. Ellington is a touchdown waiting to happen. He is one of few players in the NFL who can say they have both a rushing and receiving play of 80 yards.
Add Ellington before this week’s games and stash him on your bench. If he sees 15 touches this week, it will be nearly impossible to grab him off waivers next week.